Game control method

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a control method for controlling gate data of a game in which a plurality of players take part. Before the start of the game, game data is copied form the memory region of each player and stored in a prescribed game memory region, based on the game data of each player stored in the prescribed game memory region, the game is played, and after the end of the game, the game data of each player stored in the game memory region is returned to the memory region of each player.

This application is claims priority to international (PCT) applicationPCT/JP03/06338 filed Apr. 21, 2003, which claims priority to Japanesepatent application 2002-146984 filed May 21, 2002. The contents of theseapplications are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a game control method for controllingwhich a game a plurality of players take part in.

BACKGROUND ART

Games which are played by a plurality of players respectively connectedto a game apparatus via communication networks, such as telephonecircuit, etc., the so-called online games are noted as a new category ofgames. An example of such games is an online game in which respectiveplayers produce their own characters and connect to a communicationnetwork to make a team of their characters to make adventures. In theonline game, making the adventures, each player tries to reinforce hischaracter by increasing his items by picking up rare items, exchangingitems with other players or increasing his own power to level up.

Usually, a player has his own memory card. Not only in online games butalso in many games, when he interrupts a game, he stores game data, suchas his own character, etc. in his own memory card connected to a gameapparatus, and when he resumes the game, he reads the game data from thememory card and resumes the game where he has interrupted the game.

Usually, for an online game, the so-called offline mode in which theonline game can be played without being connected to a communicationnetwork is prepared. The offline mode is used to practice the onlinegame to know the outline of the online game or to raise in advance thelevel of the game player to some extent. Usually, game data, such as hisown character data, etc., are changed by the offline game, and thechanged game data can be stored in the memory card. The game playertakes part in the online game, using the stored character data.

As a new mode for playing in the offline mode is proposed a multimode inwhich a plurality of players gather at one place, and the characters ofthe plurality of players make a team to make adventures withoutconnecting to a communication network. Such multimode, if realized,permits friends to enjoy playing games without being conscious of thecommunication fees.

However, a number of the memory slots of the game apparatus is limitedand is often insufficient for a number of the players. Furthermore, ifthe control of the game data is simply common between the online modeand the offline mode, players might unfairly obtain items or power uptheir own characters. A new game control method for controlling a gameis required so as to solve such inconveniences.

An object of the present invention is to provide a game control methodwhich is suitable for the offline mode of a game which a plurality ofplayers take part in.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-described object is attained by a game control method forcontrolling a game in which a plurality of players take part in,comprising the steps of: before a start of the game, copying game datafrom the memory region of each player to store in a prescribed memoryregion; playing the game based on the game data of each player stored inthe prescribed memory region; and after an end of the game, returningthe game data of each player stored in the prescribed memory region tothe memory region of each player.

In the above-described game control method, it is possible that when thegame data of each player is returned from the prescribed memory regionto the memory region of each player, it is confirmed whether or not copyinformation given when the game data was copied from the memory regionof each player to the prescribed memory region agrees.

In the above-described game control method, it is possible that the useof the game data remaining in the memory region of each player isrestricted.

In the above-described game control method, it is possible that the useof the game data remaining in the memory region of each player ispermitted on the conditions that the game data stored in the prescribedmemory region is not used.

In the above-described game control method, it is possible that thememory region of one player is used as said prescribed memory region.

The above-described object is attained by a game control method forcontrolling a game in which a plurality of players take part, whereineach player can take in an item alone related to his own game character,and in the game, the exchange of the item with items of the otherplayers is prohibited.

In the above-described game control method, it is possible that an itemobtained in said game is not restricted from being exchanged with theitems of the other players.

The above-described object is attained by a game control method forcontrolling a game proceeded with characters respectively operated by aplurality of players, comprising the steps of: deciding an item which isto be owned by a character, which is selected by each player before astart of the game; and restricting the item of one character from beingowned by other character, after the start of the game.

A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a programwhich can be executed by a computer, for controlling game data to resumea game in which a plurality of players take part in where the game hasbeen paused, the game data including at least a first parameterassociated with a player character who appears in the game and a secondparameter associated with an item used by the player character in thegame, the program comprising the steps of: before a start of the game,reading first game data and second game data respectively from a firstrecord medium and a second record medium and storing the first game dataand the second game data in a prescribed memory region; recording datafor restricting the use of the game data recorded in the first recordmedia and the second record media in the first and the second recordmedia; executing the game, based on the first game data and the secondgame data stored in the prescribed memory region; renewing the firstgame data and the second game data corresponding to proceeding of thegame respectively to third game data and fourth game data; transferringthe second parameter associated with the item included in the secondgame data read from the second record medium to the first game data torestrict the third game data from being renewed; transferring the secondparameter associated with the item included in the fourth game datarenewed in accordance with the proceeding of the game and excluded inthe second game data to the first game data in response to an operationsignal generated by an operation of the game player to renew the thirdgame data; and after an end of the game, recording in the first and thesecond record media the renewed third data and the renewed fourth data,replacing the first game data and the second game data to delete datafor restricting the use of the game data.

A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a programwhich can be executed by a computer, for controlling game data to resumea game in which a plurality of players take part in where the game hasbeen paused, the program comprising the steps of: before a start of thegame, reading a first game data from a first record medium with thefirst game data recorded to store the first game data in a second recordmedium with second game data recorded in; recording a data forrestricting use of the game data recorded in the first record medium tothe first record medium; executing the game, based on the first gamedata and the second game data stored in the second record medium;renewing the first game data and the second game data respectively tothird game data and fourth game data in accordance with proceeding ofthe game; and after an end of the game, recording in the first recordmedia the renewed third data, replacing the first game data to deletethe data for restricting the use of the game data.

In the above-described program which can be executed by a computer, itis possible that the game data include at least a parameter associatedwith a player character appearing in the game, and a parameterassociated with an item used by the player character in the game, theprogram further comprises the steps of: transferring the parameterassociated with the item included in the second game data read from thesecond record medium to the first game data to restrict the third gamedata from being renewed; and transferring the parameter associated withthe item included in the fourth game data renewed in accordance with theproceeding of the game and excluded in the second game data, to thefirst game data in response to an operation signal generated by anoperation of the game player to renew the third game data.

According to the present invention, the method comprises the steps of:before a start of the game, copying game data from the memory region ofeach player to store in a prescribed memory region; playing the gamebased on the game data of each player stored in the prescribed memoryregion; and after an end of the game, returning the game data of eachplayer stored in the prescribed memory region to the memory region ofeach player, whereby the game data can be suitably controlled in theonline mode of a game which a plurality of players take part in.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the game apparatus according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the game apparatus according to theembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the game processing unit of the gameapparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view of the memory structure of the memory card used in thegame apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the multimode of the embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is views of images for the operation of transferring characterdata of the embodiment of the present invention (Part 1).

FIG. 7 is views of images for the operation of transferring characterdata of the embodiment of the present invention (Part 2).

FIG. 8 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 1).

FIG. 9 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 2).

FIG. 10 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 3).

FIG. 11 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 4).

FIG. 12 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 5).

FIG. 13 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 6).

FIG. 14 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 7).

FIG. 15 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 8).

FIG. 16 is views of images for the operation of selecting character dataof the embodiment of the present invention (Part 9).

FIG. 17 is views of images for the data saving operation of theembodiment of the present invention after the end of the game (Part 1).

FIG. 18 is views of images for the data saving operation of theembodiment of the present invention after the end of the game (Part 2).

FIG. 19 is views of images for the data saving operation of theembodiment of the present invention after the end of the game (Part 3).

FIG. 20 is views of images for the data saving operation of theembodiment of the present invention after the end of the game (Part 4).

FIG. 21 is views of images for the data saving operation of theembodiment of the present invention after the end of the game (Part 5).

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An Embodiment

The game apparatus according to an embodiment of the present inventionwill be explained with reference to the drawings.

(Outline of the Game Apparatus)

The game apparatus according to the present embodiment will be explainedwith reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of thegame apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a blockdiagram of the game apparatus according to the present embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the game apparatus body 10 is substantiallycubic. On the upper side of the game apparatus body 10, a CD-ROM drive12 for mounting a CD-ROM 8 storing a game program is provided. On thefront side of the game apparatus body 10, four controller connectors 1,2, 3, 4 and two memory slots A, B are disposed. Controllers 20 can beconnected respectively to the controller connectors 1, 2, 3, 4. Memorycards 30 can be inserted respectively into the memory slots A, B.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the game apparatus body 10, a CD-ROM drive12 for mounting the CD-ROM 8, and a game processing unit 14 forexecuting the game are provided. The four controllers 20 can beconnected to the game processing unit 14 via the controller connectors1, 2, 3, 4, and the two memory cards 30, i.e., the memory card 30 as afirst storage medium and the memory card 30 as a second storage mediumcan be mounted on the processing unit 14 via the memory slots A, B.

In place of the CD-ROM 8, an 8 cm-diameter DVD-ROM or a 12 cm-DVD-ROMmay be used, and a DVD-ROM drive may be used in place of the CD-ROMdrive 12.

(Game Processing Unit)

The game processing unit 14 of the game apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2will be detailed with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram ofthe game processing unit 14 which is mainly for the game apparatus forthe consumer use.

The game processing unit 14 controls the respective blocks and comprisesa CPU 141 which computes display positions, sizes, etc. of objects to bedisplayed on the screen, a system memory 142 which stores programs dataused by CPU 141, a BOOTROM 143 which stores BOOT programs which actuatethe game apparatus after a power injection and a reset, a bus arbiter144 which controls buses transmitting the programs and data between therespective blocks, a video display processor 145 which produces images,a graphic memory 146 which is connected to the video display processor145 and stores data for forming images and images to be displayed, anaudio processor 147 which produces sounds, an audio memory 148 which isconnected to the audio processor 147 and stores data for producingsounds and sounds to be outputted, a communication interface 149 whichtransmits and receives programs and data to and from electronic deicesoutside the game apparatus, a controller interface 150 which receivesoperation signals from the controllers operated by players and outputsthe operation signals to the CPU, and a memory interface 151 whichtransmits and receives programs and data to and from the controllerinterface 150.

The video display processor 145 and the audio video processor 146 areconnected to a TV monitor 40. A modem 50 is connected to a communicationinterface 149. The game processing unit 14 is connected to an outsidenetwork via the communication interface 149 and the modem 50. The memorycards 30 store results of the game where the game is paused, and whensaid game is resumed in the next play, the results are read, whereby thegame can be resumed.

(Memory Cards)

Each memory card 30 used in the game apparatus according to the presentembodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a viewof the memory structure of each memory card 30.

Each memory card 30 includes a system region 31 which stores systeminformation, a character data region 32 which stores character data, aguild card region 35 which stores guild card data, a snap region 36which stores snap files, a network region 37 which stores networkinformation, etc.

In the present embodiment, a character region 32 includes regions321-327 which can store data of seven characters, and the regions321-324 which store data of the characters 1-4 are a main characterregion 33, and the regions 325-327 which store data of the characters5-7 are a temporary character region 34.

The main character region 33 stores character data of a player owningthe memory card 30, and the temporary character region 34 storescharacter data copied from another backup memory. With the maincharacter region 33 and the temporary character region 34 of each memorycard 30, the multimode game is played.

Each character data includes a save ID which is an ID at the time when acharacter has been produced, an on-trip (in-transfer) flag indicatingthe character is on trip (in-transfer) to another backup memory, anddata of character information. A time stamp indicating the timeinformation at the time when the character has been produced is appendedto the save ID. A time stamp indicating the time information at the timewhen the character has tripped (moved) is appended to the on-trip(in-transfer) flag.

In the guild card region 35 as well, a time stamp at the time when theguild card has been produced is appended to the guild card region 35.

(Outline of the Game)

The game played on the game apparatus according to the presentembodiment will be summarized. The game program is stored in the CD-ROM8. The CD-ROM 8 is mounted on the CD-ROM drive 12 of the gate apparatusbody 10, and the game program is read. Whereby the game processing unit14 can execute the game.

In the online mode, the respective players connect the controller 20 tothe controller connector 1 and insert his own memory card 35 into thememory slot A, and connect the game apparatus body 10 to thecommunication network to connect the server (not shown). The respectiveplayers execute the online game with other players making a team.

In the single mode in which one player plays the game in the onlinemode, the player connects the controller 20 to the controller connector1 and inserts his own memory card 30 into the memory slot A, and playsthe offline game without connecting the game apparatus body 10 to thecommunication network.

In the multimode in which a plurality of players play the game in theoffline mode, usually the respective players bring in their owncontrollers 20 and memory cards 30 to play the game on one gameapparatus.

However, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the game apparatus body 10 ofthe present embodiment has four controller connectors 1, 2, 3, 4 but hasonly two memory slots A, B. The memory cards 30 the players have broughtcannot be often inserted in the gate apparatus body 10 at once. To playthe game in the multimode, the present embodiment has variouscontrivances.

There are risks that the game players may use the multimode in theoffline mode to unfairly obtain items from their friends, and the gameplayers may use friends' game data to unfairly power up their owncharacters. To prevent such risks in the multimode, the presentembodiment has various contrivances.

(Outline of the Multimode)

The multimode played on the game apparatus according to the presentembodiment will be summarized with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the multimode.

(Select the Multimode)

In the display of the title image (Step 10), offline is selected in theonline/offline selection image (Step S11), and then multimode isselected in the single mode/multimode selection image (Step S12). Thus,the multimode is established.

(Select Character Data)

As illustrated in FIG. 4, one memory card 30 can store data of up tofour characters as the main characters. The multimode can be played,using the character data as the main characters.

In the multimode, character data transferred from another memory card 30can be used. In this case, another memory card 30 is inserted into thememory slot B to transfer the character data to the memory card 30inserted in the memory slot A.

The character selection image is displayed (Step S13), and a characterto be used as the main character is decided (Step S14). The maincharacter may be selected out of the existing main characters (StepS15), or an empty one of the main character regions of the memory card30 is selected (Step S16), and a new character may be produced (StepS17).

When a main character of another memory card 30 is used, said anothermemory card 30 is inserted into the memory slot B, and a temporarycharacter to be used is selected out of the main characters stored insaid another memory card 30 (Step S18) and is transferred to a temporarycharacter region of the memory card 30 inserted in the memory slot A(Step S19).

When the characters of all the players are thus decided (Step S20), thegame of the multimode is started.

(Select a Game Mode)

In the same way as in forming a team in the online mode, a game mode isselected (Step S21). As a difficulty of the game, either ofnormal/hard/very hard/ultimate is selected, and as a game mode, eitherof usual adventure/challenge/battle is selected.

The difficulty of the game is agreed with either of the participatingcharacters, whose level is lowest. When characters of low levels arecontained, the high difficulty, such as the ultimate mode, cannot beselected.

In the same way as in the online mode, Player 1 is the leader (host),and the flags and the section IDs are matched.

(Execute the Game)

In accordance with the selected mode, the game of the multimode isstarted (Step S22). Each game mode comprises a plurality of stages.

The usual adventure (Step S23) has the stages of a city (Step S24), adungeon (Step S25) and a city (Step S26), and the additional stages of ahunter guild (Step S27) and a quest (Step S28).

The challenge mode (Step S29) has the stages of a hunter guild (StepS30), a dungeon (Step S31) and a hunter guild (Step S32).

The battle mode (Step S33) has the stages of a hunter guild (Step S34),a dungeon (Step S35) and a hunter guild (Step S36).

(Divide Screen in the Multimode)

The screen is automatically divided in accordance with a number of thecharacters taking part in the game; when two characters take part in,the screen is bisected; and when four characters take part in, thescreen is quartered. When three characters take part in, the screen maybe trisected, or the screen may be quartered but one of the quarteredsections is not be used.

(Restrict Bringing In/Out Data)

Bringing in/out data in the multimode is partially restricted so as toprevent unfair copy and unfair multiplication of the items.

In the multimode, all the status data, such as level, etc., of thecharacter data can be brought in. In the multimode, added status can bebrought out after the game is over.

As for the item data, in the multimode, equipments of the characters canbe brought in. However, the equipments cannot be left for the otherplayers to pick up them. In the multimode, the exchange of the items isprohibited to prevent the multiplication of the items. In the multimode,items obtained in the multimode game can be brought out. Items obtainedin the multimode game can be exchanged with the items of the otherplayers.

As for money (meseta), in the multimode, it is prohibited to bring inmoney from the outside. On the other hand, money obtained in themultimode game can be freely brought out.

The equipments of the characters can be brought in, but items other thanthe equipments of the characters, e.g., items held by the characters inthe hands, items related to the characters, items not related directlyto the characters, etc. may be brought in.

Only data of items which can be brought in is copied. However, it ispossible that data of all items are copied, flags indicating that therespective items are usable or unusable are provided to the respectiveitems, and the flags are on/off to discriminate the usable items fromthe unusable items.

(Function of the City)

In the multimode, a certain restriction is applied to the function ofthe city. As in the online mode, shops can be used, and a connoisseurcan be also used. The guild counter can be used only in the challengemode and the battle mode. The medical center can be used.

The checkroom can be used only to check in items but the items checkedin cannot be checked out, so that the unfair transfer of the items amongthe players is prevented.

(Move Between Maps)

Between the maps, basically, the movement cannot be made unless all thecharacters are together.

As for the movement device in the city, when all the characters are onboard, a dungeon list is displayed, and the player of a character wholastly went on board selects/decides a map, and the movement is made.

As for the movement device in the dungeon, all the characters are onboard, and one player pushes button A. Then, the movement is made.Unless all the characters are on board, the movement is not made.

The movement of the movement device special for the boss is the same asthat of the movement device in the dungeon described above. No warningwindow is displayed, as is in the single play.

As for a ryuca, when one character enters the ryuca, a window “Return toCity Yes/No” is displayed. When “Yes” is selected, all the charactersreturn to the city. When returning from the city, all the characters areon board and push the A button. Then, the movement is made.

When any character is died, a window “Return to City Yes/No” isdisplayed. When “Yes” is selected, all the characters return to thecity.

(End the Game)

When the respective stages of the respective game modes end, themultimode game is finished (Step S37). Subsequently, a warning messageis displayed (Step S38), and then the character data is saved in thememory card 30 (Step S39).

When the character/game modes are changed (Step S40), the step isreturned to Step S13 (Select characters) or Step S21 (Select a gamemode).

When the character/game modes are not changed, the character data storedin a temporary character region is transferred to the initial memorycard 30 (Step S41). When the transfer is completed for all thecharacters (Step S42), the title image is displayed, and the game ends(Step S43).

(Transfer Character Data)

The transfer of the character data in the game apparatus according tothe present embodiment will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and7.

(Transfer Character Data)

In the multimode, the data of the main character of another memory card30 is read in to use. In this case, the memory card 30 to be used in thegame is inserted in the slot A, and in the slot B, said another memorycard 30 is inserted into to transfer the character data.

FIG. 6A illustrates an image for selecting a character in the multimode.On the left side of the image, the temporary character region 34 of thememory card 20 inserted in the slot A is displayed, and on the rightside of the image, the main character region 33 of the memory card 30inserted in the slot B is displayed.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 6A, the first region of the temporarycharacter region 34 of the memory card in the slot A, displaced on theleft side of the image, i.e., the region 325 of the character 5 isselected, and the first region of the main character region 33 of thememory card in the slot B, displayed on the right side of the image,i.e., the region 321 of the character 1 is selected. When the executionbutton is pushed, the character data stored in the region 321 of thecharacter 1 is transferred to the region 325 of the character 5 in theslot A.

As illustrated in FIG. 6A, at the center of the screen, a warning “Intransfer. Don't insert in/out the memory card” is displayed, and at thebottom of the screen, a warning “The character data transferred to thememory card in the slot A cannot be used until the data is returned tothe initial memory card.” is displayed.

When the character data of the memory card 30 in the slot B is stored inthe memory card 30 in the slot A as the temporary character data, thein-transfer flag of the character data in the memory card 30 in the slotB is turned on to make the character data unavailable. The initialcharacter data remains in the memory card 30 in the slot B but is madeunavailable by turning on the in-transfer flag.

(Identify Character Data)

In the present embodiment, when a new character data is prepared, theinformation of the time is recorded as a time stamp. Also when characterdata is transferred from the slot B to the slot A, the in-transfer flagsboth the transferrer character data and the transferee character dataare turned on, and the time of the transfer is recorded as a time stamp.Based on these two time stamps, the character data are identified.

(Transferrer Character Data)

Even when the memory card 30 of the transferrer is mounted on anothergame apparatus 10 to play the game, using the transferred characterdata, the in-transfer flag is on, and the game cannot be played.However, players often forget to return the data to the initial memorycard 30. In such case, it is not practical to make the transferredcharacter data unavailable.

Then, in the present embodiment, the “in-transfer flag” can be removedunder the condition of “character data grown in the multimode is notreturned to the transferee”.

FIG. 6B is an image of selecting a character. The initial memory card 30is inserted into the slot A of another game apparatus 10, and thecharacter data in transfer is selected. Then, at the center of thescreen, “This character is “in transfer” to another memory card as atemporary character. “In transfer” can be released, and then the data intransfer cannot be returned to this memory card. Is it all right?” isdisplayed. A selection image “Yes, No” is displayed.

Then, when “Yes” is selected, the in-transfer flag of the character datain the region 321 of the character 1 of the memory card 30 is turnedoff, concurrently the time stamp being deleted. Thus, the character datacan be used as the usual character date.

(Transferee Character Data)

Usually, after the game is over, the character data stored in thetemporary character region 34 of the transferee memory card 30 isreturned to the initial memory card 30. However, it can happen that theinitial memory card 30 cannot be found at hand in circumstances. It isnot practical that in such case, the character data cannot be returnedto the initial memory card.

Then, in the present embodiment, for the temporary character data whichhas lost the transferrer in some circumstances, “Return to initialmemory card”, “Delete” or others can be selected on the characterselection display of the multimode.

FIG. 7 is an image for the character selection. The memory card 30 isinserted in the slot A of the game apparatus 10, and the main characterregion 33 and the temporary character region 34 are displayed. Here,when the temporary character is selected, for the temporary character, awindow “Decide the character as player's character, Return the characterto the initial memory card, Delete, or Cancel” is displayed, and theplayer selects one of them.

When “Decide the character as player's character” is selected, the dataof the temporary character is decided as it is as the data of the playercharacter. When “Return to the memory card” is selected, the image ofthe transfer to the slot B illustrated in FIG. 6A is displayed. In thetransfer image, the player returns the temporary character data to theinitial memory card. When “Delete” is selected, a confirmation display“Really delete? Yes or No” is displayed. In the confirmation display“Yes” is selected in, and the character data is deleted. When “Cancel”is selected, the image is returned to the image previous to the imageillustrated in FIG. 7.

(Select Characters)

The operation of selecting characters in the game apparatus according tothe present embodiment will be explained. An example of the characterselecting operation of the Steps S13 to S20 of the flow chart of FIG. 5will be explained with reference to the images of FIGS. 8 to 16.

In the present embodiment, a player who operates the controller 20connected to the controller connector 1 is Player 1. Players who operatethe controllers 20 connected to the controller connectors 2, 3, 4 aresequentially Player 2, Player 3 and Player 4.

(Select Character of Player 1)

First, a character of Player 1 is selected (FIGS. 8A and 8B).

As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the cursor is placed on an arbitrarycharacter in the main character region 33. In FIG. 8A, the cursor isplaced on the region 321 of Character 1. Characters 1-4 in the maincharacter region 33 or Characters 5-7 can be selected here as long ascharacter data are present. P. 17

Then, the decision button A of the controller is pushed, and then asillustrated in FIG. 8A, the character data with the cursor placed on,the data of the region 321 of the Character 1 here, is decided as thecharacter data of Player 1.

(Select Character of Player 2 (Produced New))

Then, a character of Player 2 is selected (FIGS. 9A and 9B). Thecontroller 20 connected to the controller connector 2 is operated.

As illustrated in FIG. 9A, the cursor is placed on the region of themain character region 33 indicated with “NO DATA”, e.g., the region 234of Character 4, and the decision button A of the controller 20 ispushed.

Subsequently, the character producing image follows, and the characterof Player 2 is produced new. Various parameters of the character aredecided to produce the character, and the image is returned to thecharacter selection image illustrated in FIG. 9B. The cursor is placedon the region 234 of Character 4, and the decision button A of thecontroller 20 is pushed. Then the character of Player 2 is decided.

Only the character data produced new by Player 2 in the multimode can bedeleted by Player 2.

(Display Start Button)

When characters of two or more players are decided, the game can beplayed in the multimode, and as illustrated in FIG. 10A, an indication“Start button: Start Game” is displayed on the screen. When the startbutton is pushed here, as illustrated in FIG. 10B, “Game start?” and“Yes/No” are displayed. When “Yes” is selected here, the game is startedby two players. In the following, “No” is selected to select a characterof Player 3.

(Select Character of Player 3 (Temporary Character))

Then, a character of Player 3 is selected (FIG. 11A-FIG. 14B). Thecontroller 20 connected to the controller connector 3 is operated.

As illustrated in FIG. 11A, the cursor is placed on the region of thetemporary character region 34 of the slot A, where “NO DATA” isindicated, the region 235 of Character 5, and the decision button A ofthe controller 20 is pushed. Then, the image of the slot B illustratedin FIG. 11B follows. The part of the main character region 33 of theslot A is slided left, and the image of the slot B appears. When thememory card 30 is not inserted in the slot B here, as illustrated inFIG. 11B, “No memory card inserted. Insert memory card with characterdata” is displayed.

When the memory card 30 is inserted in the slot B, as illustrated inFIG. 12A, the indicator of the slot B is brightened to indicate that thememory card 30 is inserted, and “Loading” is displayed to indicate thatthe data in the memory card 30 is being loading.

When the memory card is not the memory card 30 for the game of thepresent embodiment or when the memory card is the memory card 30 for thegame of the present embodiment but stores none of the character data, asillustrated in FIG. 12B, “This memory card has no character data” isdisplayed.

When the memory card stores the character data, as illustrated in FIG.13A, the indicator of the slot B is brightened to indicate the maincharacter region 33 of the memory card 30 is displayed.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 13B, the character data of the slotB is selected, and a character data region of the slot A for theselected character data to be stored in is selected. A window “Transferthis character? Yes/No” is displayed at the center of the screen.

When “Yes” is selected here, the transfer of the character data isstarted, and the image indicating the data being transferred as shown inFIG. 14A is displayed. On the screen “Being transferred. Don't insertinto/out the memory card” is displayed.

When the data is transferred, the time stamp is recorded in thecharacter data of the slot B, and then the character data istransferred. As described above, based on the time stamp recorded whencharacter data was produced, and the time stamp recorded when thecharacter data was transferred, the transferred data is identified.Character data is identified when these two time stamps agree with eachother.

When the transfer of the data is completed, as illustrated in FIG. 14B,the character of Player 3 is decided, and the cursor can not be moved.With cursor made unmovable, a button of the controller 20 is pushed toselect one of “A: Decide, X: Data image ON, Z: Return to Slot B”. InFIG. 14B, the button A is pushed to decide the character of Player 3.

Subsequently a character of Player 4 is being decided. However, if thecontroller 20 is not connected to the controller connector 4, thedisplay illustrated in FIG. 15A automatically follows but the image ofselecting characters does not follow. If the controller 2 is connectedto the controller connector 4, the image of selecting character follows.

(Start the Game)

With the characters of three players decided, as illustrated in FIG.15A, “Start button: Start game” is displayed on the screen. When thestart button is pushed, as illustrated in FIG. 15B, “The game starts?”and “Yes/No” are displayed. When “Yes” is selected, the game is startedby 3 players. “Yes” is selected here, and the game is started.

When the game is started, the character confirmation image illustratedin FIG. 16A follows, and the characters of Players 1 to 3 which havebeen selected by the above-described operation are displayed forconfirmation. The three players watch their own player characters, andwhen no problem, they push the button A (OK) and push the start button(NG) if any problem. In FIG. 16A, Player 1 and Player 3 push the buttonA, and Player 2 pushes the start button. Player 2, who has pushed thestart button (NG), again selects a character. When all the players pushbutton A (OK), the game is started.

When the memory card in the slot A is taken out in the operation, asillustrated in FIG. 16B, a warning “Return the memory card into the slotA” is displayed, and the operation is all paused. This state is retaineduntil the memory card is returned to the slot A.

(Save Data After the Game is Over)

The operation of saving data after the game has ended in the gameapparatus according to the present embodiment will be explained. Anexample of the operation after the game has ended, which is of StepsS37-S42 of the flow chart of FIG. 5, will be explained with reference tothe images of FIGS. 17 to 21.

(Save Data)

After the game has ended, the character data stored in the temporarycharacter region 34 used in the multimode is returned to the initialmemory card. To this end, the data save image of FIG. 17A is displayed.At the center of the screen, “Insert the initial memory card into theslot B” is displayed.

Then, the start button of the controller 20 is pushed, and the data saveoperation can be skipped.

When no character data is stored anywhere in the temporary characterregion 34, the data save image is not displayed. When all the characterdata is stored in the main character region 33, after the data save, thefirst title image follows.

When the memory card is inserted into the slot B, as illustrated in FIG.7B, an indication that the slot B is loading data is displayed.

When the data loading is completed, the image illustrated in FIG. 18A isdisplayed. When the initial character data is in the slot B, a window“This character is returned to the initial memory card. All right?Yes/No” is displayed.

When “No” is selected, the button A is pushed to open the window of theabove image. Then the start button is pushed to skip the operationalimage. When “Yes” is selected, the image of FIG. 18B is displayed on thescreen to indicate the data is being transferred.

When the data transfer has completed, as illustrated in FIG. 19A, thename of the character transferred from the temporary character region 34in the slot A vanishes, and the next character name is moved up. In thesame way, the data is saved in the initial memory card. In this way, thedata is sequentially retuned to the initial memory card. This operationis performed until no data to be returned to the slot A is present. Whenall the data have been saved, the title image follows.

(When No Character Data is Stored in the Memory Card)

When no character data is stored in the memory card in the slot B, asillustrated in FIG. 19B, “Insert the initial memory card into the slotB” is displayed at the center of the screen, and at the position of slotB, “This memory card stores no character data” is displayed.

(When the Initial Character Data is Not Stored in the Memory Card)

When character data is stored in the memory card in the slot B but isfound not to be the initial character data, based on the comparisonbetween the time stamps, as illustrated in FIG. 20A, “The initialcharacter data is not stored in the slot B. Insert the memory cardstoring the initial character data” is displayed at the center of thescreen. The same display is made when both data cannot be found to bethe data of the one and the same character because of unfairness.

(When the Start Button is Pushed to Skip This Operation)

When the start button is pushed to skip the data save operation, asillustrated in FIG. 20B, a warning message “The game is ended withoutreturning the character data to the initial memory card. Unless thecharacter data is returned, the character data cannot be used. Allright? Yes/No” is displayed at the center of the screen.

(When the Memory Card in the Slot A is Taken Out in the Data SaveOperation)

When the memory card in the slot A is taken out in the data saveoperation, as illustrated in FIG. 21, a warning message “Return thememory card in the slot A to the initial state” is displayed at thecenter of the screen, and the operation is interrupted.

(Take In/Out Items)

In the game apparatus according to the present embodiment, the takein/out of items in the multimode is partially restricted so as toprevent unfair copy and multiplication of items. Major items whose datacan be taken in are as follows.

For the character data, all statuses, such as character levels, etc.,can be taken in. The statuses added in the multimode can be taken out.

For the item data, only equipments of the characters can be taken in.However, the equipments can be “put off” and “put on” but cannot beleft. This is for the prevention of the multiplication of the items bythe item exchanges in the multimode. Items even grown and connoisseuredin the multimode can be taken out.

The items obtained in the multimode game can be left or be exchangedwith those of other players. The times obtained in the multimode can betaken out, but they are checked at the checker.

The money (meseta) cannot be taken in the game in the multimode. Themoney (meseta) obtained in the multimode can be taken out but onlychecked in the checker.

As for the challenge/battle data, the results in the online mode cannotbe taken into the multimode and cannot be taken out. The result in theonline mode and the result in the multimode are saved and managed asseparate data.

When the game ends, the items to be taken out are checked in the checkroom. The items which have been initially in the check room cannot betaken out but can be thrown away. The check room can be thus made anyroom.

When any items are not checked in the check room, a warning message“Items except the items which have been initially taken in are alldeleted unless they are checked in the check room. Is it all right?Yes/No” is displayed.

Modified Embodiments

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodimentand can cover other various modifications.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention isapplied to the case that the number of the memory slots of the gameapparatus is insufficient for the number of players. However, thepresent application is applicable to the case that a number of thememory slots agrees with a number of players, and the game data may bestored in one memory card.

In the above-described embodiment, the prescribed memory regions areprovided in a memory card inserted in a specific slot, i.e., the slot Abut may be provided in other regions, e.g., the memory regions of thegame apparatus or the regions in the memory server. The memory region ofeach player is provided in the memory card of the player but may beprovided in other regions, e.g., the region in the memory server for theplayer, or other regions.

The techniques described in the embodiment described above may becombined with each other, or a part of one embodiment may be used inother embodiments.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is suitable for game control methods, morespecifically a game control method suitable for games in online modewhich a plurality of players take part in.

1. A storage medium stored computer-readably with a program withassociated game data of game characters and game items, said programbeing executable on a game device having a computer on which pluralplayers are allowed to play a game together, wherein said game device isprovided with plural slots each configured to removably insert a memorymedium, said program being configured to cause said game device toperform: (a) reading data of a game character and a game item attributedto the game character, if any, from each of the memory mediums insertedin said slots, said data of the game characters and the game itemshaving been recorded when the players finished the game at intermediatestages in last plays, respectively; (b) allowing the players to resumethe game from an intermediate stage, wherein the players are allowed touse their own game items in the game space, if any, which are read fromthe memory medium belonging to the players, respectively; (c) allowingthe players to play the game together wherein each player plays the gameby controlling the player character which is specified by the data readfrom the memory mediums associated with each player respectively; (d)allowing each of the players to cause the player character under thecontrol of the player to obtain items which appear in the game spaceduring the progress of the game so that the items obtained areattributed to that player's character; (e) allowing the players to tradeitems obtained in the game space during the progress of the game; (f)prohibiting the players from trading items read from the memory mediumsin the game space during the progress of the game; (g) allowing each ofthe players to store, in the player's original memory medium inserted inthe slot, renewed data indicative of the player character and the gameitems, if any, which have been obtained during the progress of the gameand attributed to the player character at the time of finishing the gameat a stage of the game, wherein the renewed data replaces the dataoriginally existing at step (a) in the respective memory mediums and therespective original data is deleted from the memory mediums; and (h)prohibiting the renewed data for one of the players to include an itemwhich was included in the memory mediums belonging to another of theplayers at the step (a).
 2. A game program configured to be read andexecuted by a computer game device to which plural controllers areconnected so that plural players are allowed to play together a gamewhich develops on the game device by execution of the game program,wherein the game program is configured, with associated game data ofgame characters and game items, to cause the game device to perform thegame wherein respective players control, by manipulating thecontrollers, corresponding game characters selected by the players,respectively, said program being configured to cause said game device toperform: (a) reading data of a game character and a game item attributedto the game character, if any, from each of the memory mediums insertedin said slots, said data of the game characters and the game itemshaving been recorded when the players finished the game at intermediatestages in last plays, respectively; (b) allowing the players to resumethe game from an intermediate stage, wherein the players are allowed touse their own game item in the game space, if any, which are read fromthe memory medium belonging to the player, respectively; (c) allowingthe players to play the game together, wherein each player plays thegame by controlling the player character which is specified by the dataread from the memory mediums associated with each player respectively;(d) allowing each of the players to cause the player character under thecontrol of the player to obtain items which appear in the game spaceduring the progress of the game so that the items obtained areattributed to that player's character; (e) allowing the players to tradeitems obtained in the game space during the progress of the game; (f)prohibiting the players from trading items read from the memory mediumsin the game space during the progress of the game; (g) allowing each ofthe players to store, in the player's original memory medium inserted inthe slot, renewed data indicative of the player character and the gameitems, if any, which have been obtained during the progress of the gameand attributed to the player character at the time of finishing the gameat a stage of the game, wherein the renewed data replaces the dataoriginally existing at step (a) in the respective memory mediums and therespective original data is deleted from the memory mediums; and (h)prohibiting the renewed data for one of the players to include an itemwhich was included in the memory mediums belonging to another of theplayers at the step (a).